Homogenizer



June 30, 1936. B. TRUDEL ET AL HOMOGENI ZER Filed Dec. 27, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet l 3 om mmmm mo: m w s! 2 a m w mwflm mmwmw in u a s 1m r m m 3 w mm Q g a 3 mm mm mm ow u 30, 1936- B. TR'UDEL ET'AL 2,046,223

HOMOGENI ZER Filed Dec 27, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 BENOIT TRu DEL "VII: M,

OSCAR Niel-GRUB INYENTURS M j Arr B. TRUDEL. ET AL 2,046,223

HOMOGENIZER Filed Dec. 2'7, 1934 5 sheets-sheet 3 June 30, 1936.

"WE TORS BENOIT TRUDEL @scAR MICHAl JD .n g y/12w a s FIG. 6

Patented June 30, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT [OFFICE HOMOGENIZER- I Benoit 'rmael and Oscar Michaud, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, assignors to B. Trudel & Cie., 'Piientreal, Quebec, Canada Application December 27, 1934, Serial No. 759,424

. j; in Canada May 29, 1934 "3 Claims. (01. 99-267) Our invention relates to improvements in homogenizers such as used :fio'r dairy products, though not so limited, as the sameinay be adapted for homogenizing processes in 'various industries.

The machine is, however, specially adapted to dairies owing to constructional. features thereof, resulting in the least number of parts and total accessibility of all internal sections so that the sums may be easily and thoroughly cleaned in order to conform fully toxthe strictest health regulations affecting thein'dustry. I l I The objects of the invention are, therefore, to provide a machine of the thigh pressure type, the pressure on the fluid to be homogenized being derived from reciprocating pistons, the cylinders for which, and all bores, valve chambers, and ducts, are of the :continuous type, so that the same may be cleaned by .passing a brush orzother cleaning element directly througheach opening from one end to the other. 1

Anothenobject is to provide packing means .for all glands, plugs, and connections, .of absolute sanitary type and which will not interfere with direct cleaning as above-specified.

A further object resides .in .th-eprovision .of a cylinder unit which may readily be removed from the machinefor cleaning-sand sterilizing with the least amount of adjusting andcundue labour.

A still further object is to provide a simplified pressure gaugingand safetyvsystem'incorporated in such a manner .as to prevent any spilling or waste of the fluid to be homogenized Other objects as :well :as many advantages of the .machine will become apparent in the following description .of the preferred embodiment of-the invention, as shown in the drawings accompanying herewith, in which:

Rig. 1 is :a :side elevation of "the parts of the homogenizing machine which are falling within the features .iof this invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional elevation ofthe cylinder block in the plane of the axis of one cylinder; r

Fig. 3 is an end View of :the homogenizing'block with portion of'the machine standard;

Fig. 4 is a crosss'ection of the block taken on line 44-of Figs. 1 and '2; i

Fig. 5 is atop view of the block with portion 5 of same broken away showingducts, valve seats, and packing means in ,a plane denoted by line 15-5 of Figs. 1 and 2; I

Fig. 6 is an enlarged crosses ectional elevation .of the combined pressuregange and-safety valve, 55 together with portion of the block andshowing a modification in the mode of packing the same to the block;

Fig. 7 is a cross-section of the-same taken on line 1-] of Fig. 6; and; r J

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the homogenized 5 valve and seat, as shown in Fig. 4.

Similar and/or corresponding parts, in all the figures, are denoted by like numerals.

The machine generally consists of. a suitable base, having mounted thereon ashait-to whicha 10 source of power is attached, and provided with for mentioned are not shown in the drawings with .theexc-eption of part of a connecting rod 6, cross- 20 head 7,-and portion of :the base -18.

T'Ihe homogenizing portion-0f the machine consists in a block 9 of ,metalhaving great strength and of preferably rectangular cross andlongitudinal sections. It is held to the .base by resting 25 on its'top between guideways J9 running parallel with the axis of the pistons :and securely :held thereon by means of machine screws lslgthere being two in the present illustration. which .pass through perforations 12 in the block and which 0 r are threaded in the ,base as at l3.

In order to secure the block againstany tendency of slipping on the base, keyways 1 4 in-the block, and Win the base, are provided with keys [clocking the two-together;

For obviousreasons, explainedlater in this description, the .block may .be slipped off the machine in a longitudinal'direction .by removing the keys l6 and bolts 11." This-maybe accomplished by driving the keys towards the centre of the 40 machine "when they will drop in pit l1 provided in the :base.

Directly incline :with each cross-head is a bore 'l8' reaching substantially half-way in the block and in which pistons I-9;reciprocate. it will be 45 noted that there are threebores iinthe present machine adapted to receive three pistons intended .to be operated by three cams orcranksflocated 120 degrees apart sothat the displacement caused by the reciprocating pistons will'he ba'lanced and therefore continuous.

The packing of the pistons in the block consists in :an adapter. Zll'threaded in :an enlargement of the bores, ,as shown at 2], and terminating in a taper :22, which reSts a'gainst a tapered ring 23 squarely seated in the block. The

' adapter is provided with a flange 24 having slots 25 so as to receive a key for either tightening or loosening the same. The bore of the adapter is sufficiently large over the diameter of the piston so as to allow suitable packing 25'between the two. The packing is pressed tightly into the nipple by means of a sleeve 26, slidably fitted over the piston and provided with a' flange 21. Pres sure is applied to sleeve '26 by means of a gland 28 threaded on the adapter, as shown, its head receive a tightening tool. v

Admission of the fluid to be homogenized, so as to distribute the same to the three bores l8 forming cylinders for pistons I9, is by means of a transversal duct 38 extending through the a.

block and provided with enlarged threaded portions towards the two sides of the block so as to receive proper connections with the fluid supply. A passage comprising a vertical opening 3| having the upperpart'tapered as at 32, to provide a valve seat, lying over duct 30 in line with each cylinder. A valve comprising a valve proper 33'and'a circular valve guide 34 rests on the above-mentioned seat. A bore 35 leads the upper part of guide 34 extending vertically in the block above the valve seat. A portion of said bore 35 is tapered as at 36 and then enlarged to receive a plug 31 provided with a conical metal ring 38 squarely seated around the reduced portion of the plug, as shown. The valve proper and its guide 34 are interjoined by a small central These valves are of thesametype as already de-' scribed, the valve guide in the'latter case being .shown at 44,. parallel to the cylinder being enlarged'towards theedgeof the block and there threaded to receive plugs 46, having its squarely seated conical packing ring,41 fitting on tapered portion 48 of the block. Duct 4 is closed at both sides of the block by means of plugs 49 threaded in the block, as shown, and also having a squarely seated packing ring 41 resting against the tapered portion 58 of the base. .7

The check valves with central pins, in conjunction with the reciprocating idea forms an 'eflicient leak-proof combination. The horizontal sets are constructed with guides onboth sides thereof, as shown-in the drawings. V

Directly over duct 4| and connecting therewith are vertical ducts 5| and 52. 'Duct 5| tapers at 53 enlarging its bore which is threaded as at 54 to receive the pressure gaugeand safety valve qunit later described herein. Above duct 52 islocated the homogenizing valve, andto receive the same, the bore is enlarged sufliciently for the installation of the hollow valve seat 51, which is preferably made of very'hard Steel or hard ferrous compoundssuch as stellite, directly under- {neath a sleeve 58 of which" is an extension of and has'a separate lower ring 59 resting on shoulder 68 of the valve seat 51, there being a space i between the ring and the seat as shown in Fig. 8.

The extension of sleeve'58is enlarged at 6| where forming a continuous passage 9|.

it is preferably faced to receive a key to tighten the same. squarely seated under the enlargementis a conical metal ring 62. fltting'in the tapered portion of 63 of the block. Above valve seat 51, located in the bore of extension 58, is

the valve member 64, also of hard metal,"tapered underneatlnas shown to properly seat on 51, and

of pressure rod 65. Ring "59 is provided with notches 66 to receive a tool fortightening same.

curved on top thereof to abut on the lower end Passage for fluid from valve 64 is by means 7 It is understood, however,-

that without departing from this invention, the fiuid'may be ledfrom the flrst homogenizing valve to a second stage of thesame nature, if desired.

' The pressure gauge and safety valve unit, shown a in detail in Figures 6 and 7 consists of a body portion threaded in the block at 54 and pro-,

vided at the lower end with a squarely seated tapered packing ring 56 closing on tapered portion 53; r

It will be seen here that portion 55 of this unit is seated atrthe top of the block inrprefer ence to the showing in Figures 4 and 5, where it is shown principally for location. The seating consists in a metal packing ring 13 having a straight internal wall fltting closelyto a corre-. spondingly straight wall on portion 55, theexternal wall of the ring being tapered to seat on tapered seat 14 in the blockand pressed thereon'bya ring 15 threaded on portion 55, as shown.

. Portion 55 has a bore "at its upper part,

threaded .to receivesecond portion 10 adapted to.

screw thereinand provided at its lower end with .a squarely seated taperedipacking ring 11 resting on a corresponding tapered seat 18 in the:

block. A central verticalbore 19 through portion- 55 and the lower part of portion 18..is enlarged at 88 to receive a plunger 8| and further enlarged at 82 to receive packing 83 and'a'compressiongland 84, adaptedto be pressed down by a sleeve 1| as shown.v Gland'84' is bored to allow the passing of piston 8| and enlarged'at its top and therethreaded as at 86 toreceive the gauge indicating element. (not shown) The lower end of 'portion 55. hasa cross duo 81 leading from bore '19 to an enlarged threaded bore 88, in which is installed a blow-off disc 89, r t 7 is a spacev all'aroundbe tween thelower endiof 7 portion 55 and the herein the blockv at that point From this passage a duct 92 in the block leadsto the main inlet duct .38, as shownn:

It will be noticed that every duct, passage,.or- 1 sories are removed all ducts'maybe flushed or brushed from one end'to the-other, .It will be seen alsothat all plugs, glands, and connections,

leading to said ducts, are either providedwitna conical sanitary packing ring fitting in a tapered r 7 portion of theblock, or else machined to fit ina sanitary tapered packing ringiseatedin-the blocki In either case it presents a taperedplane'surface' joint at every connection; so that ini brushing and flushing the apparatus no dirt, sediment, or

any matter may remain therein. Another. feature of great importance in this construction lies in the fact that the packing ring forming a seat at the end of the plugs, etc., the fluid will not come in contact with the threads at any time during the process of homogenization.

The packing rings, whether the female rings in the block or the male rings on the components, are made of a comparatively softer metal than the block or components themselves. This will result in a leak-proof fit, will permit the harder tapered portion to make its proper setting in or around the ring, and also will allow the ring to be extended tightly in place when fastened in the block, and to be contracted tightly when mounted on the plugs, glands, or other accessories. It may be said here, that although the packing rings are preferably mounted at the end of the plugs and connections, there is no limitation to this as they may be effectively mounted so as to fit in the outside surface of the block as at 63 in Fig. 4 and 14 in Fig. 6, or in any other suitable place or manner.

Again drawing attention to the sanitary features of this machine, it may be saidthat, after the machine has completed the homogenization process, its cleaning may be readily attended to by removal of the block itself. This is accomplished by disconnecting fluid leads thereto and unscrewing the three sleeves 28 holding the piston packing. The keys l5 may then be pushed until they fall in pit ll, when the block may be pulled rearwardly as a unit from the machine. After removing all the plugs already described, the block may be flushed either with water at high pressure or with brushes which can be passed through all the cylinders, ducts, valve chambers, etc., it being remembered that the nature of the packings will allow the lock to be sterilized with steam without any injury to them. When the block is so removed from the machine and stripped of its component elements, all ducts, cylinders, valve chambers, will be free and accessible, as the cutaway portion in Fig. 5 clearly illustrates.

In operation, connection is made from the supply of milk or other fluid by connection with the intake duct 30 and on setting the machine in operation the fluid will be drawn in the cylinders by way of valves 33 on withdrawal of the pistons and forced by way of valves 43 to the receiving duct 4i. From that point the fluid will flow up in duct 52 where due to its pressure it will raise plunger 64 which is adjusted to required pressure thereby homogenizing the fluid which will find its way out of the machine through duct 61 and led therefrom by connections, part of which is shown at 69. The existing pressure in duct 4| will follow bore 19 in the gauge unit and cause plunger 8| to operate its indicating 5 element. Should the pressure, through any cause, rise beyond the safe limit for the machine, relief will be offered by the blowing off of disc 89 allowing the free return of the fluid through passage 9i and duct 92 to the supply duct 30, 10 guarding against spilling and loss of any fluid.

We claim:

1. In a homogenizer including a cylinder block and fluid pressure imparting piston cooperating therewith, fluid inlet and outlet ducts in said block and a homogenizing valve body, a bore in said block over and connecting with said outlet duct, a homogenizing valve seat in the lower part of said bore, a ring threaded in said bore over said seat, the upper part of said bore threaded to receive the homogenizing valve body, the space between said body and said ring forming an exit'for said fluid, a delivery duct in said block leading to said space, and seating means consisting in a ring of comparatively soft metal around said body resting on a tapered seat on said block.

2. In a homogenizer including a cylinder block and fluid pressure imparting pistons cooperating therewith, fiuid inlet and outlet ducts in said block and a homogenizing valve body, a bore in said block over and connecting with said outlet duct, a homogenizing valve seat in the lower part of said bore, a ring threaded in said bore over said seat, the upper part of said bore threaded to receive the homogenizing valve body, the space between said body and said ring forming an exit for said fluid, and a delivery duct in said block leading to said space.

3. In a homogenizer including a cylinder block, pistons reciprocating therein, inlet and outlet ducts in conjunction with said pistons and said block, a safety valve comprising an element mounted in said block over said outlet duct, a bore in said block leading from the inlet of said valve to said outlet duct, a portion of said element being reduced to provide space therearound in said block having connection with the outlet of said valve, and a duct leading from said space to said inlet duct. 7

BENOIT TRUDEL. OSCAR MICHAUD. 

